The present invention relates to the field of devices used to hold audio devices at the opening of a user""s ear.
Various types of earmolds are manufactured in the prior art, primarily for use with hearing aids, communication devices and portable audio systems. Most existing earmolds rely on a deep and tight insertion into the ear canal for providing stability of the device in the ear. This type of deep and tight insertion tends to cause painful rubbing of the insert against the ear canal and also can have the effect of sealing the ear canal. As a result, the user experiences irritation and discomfort, particularly after many consecutive hours or days of use. Sealing the ear canal has dangerous implications to the wearer. It will also affect a person""s ability to hear ambient sound by reducing the intensity of the sound. It will alter a person""s ability to localize sound, particularly in the high frequencies where interaural sound pressure differences are the primary cue for localization.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,156 (xe2x80x9cthe ""156 patentxe2x80x9d) solves most of the foregoing problems of such prior art devices. However, the earmolds disclosed in the ""156 patent sometimes come loose from the speaker, communication device, hearing aid, etc. (referred to herein as an xe2x80x9caudio devicexe2x80x9d) to which they are coupled.
The present invention addresses numerous shortcomings of prior art earmolds. Preferred earmolds according to the invention include a first protrusion to secure the earmold to a user""s ear, a cavity shaped on a first side to receive an audio device and shaped on a second side to fit within the user""s outer ear (a xe2x80x9csecond protrusionxe2x80x9d), and at least one retention flap for securely retaining the audio device.
Preferred embodiments include two or more retention flaps disposed around the perimeter of the first side of the cavity. Preferably, the retention flaps do not extend around the entire perimeter of the cavity, but instead are discontinuous. Such discontinuity allows for easier insertion and removal of the audio device, while holding the audio device more securely than earmolds of the prior art. These retention flaps may be formed in a variety of shapes, including but not limited to arcuate shapes, triangular shapes and trapezoidal shapes.
In some preferred embodiments, a user engages the first protrusion of the earmold by inserting the earmold into the ear and then rotating the mold so that this first protrusion rests under the crus of the helix of the ear. In other embodiments, the first protrusion contacts a different portion of the outer ear.
The second protrusion conveys sound from the speaker into the user""s ear canal. Preferred embodiments of the second protrusion require only a very shallow insertion (approximately xe2x85x9 inch in some embodiments) into the user""s ear canal. In some embodiments, the earmold is held in place by the first protrusion and/or other features such that the second protrusion does not contact the ear canal. In other embodiments, the second protrusion lightly contacts a portion of the ear canal. In yet other embodiments, the second protrusion contacts opposing sides of the ear canal.
Preferably, no seal is formed between the second protrusion and the ear canal. Accordingly, some preferred embodiments of the second protrusion include an ear canal insert vent on the second side to prevent a pneumatic seal from being formed in the ear. Some preferred embodiments include a sound bore which penetrates from the first side through to the second side. Accordingly, when these embodiments of the invented earmold are used, complete occlusion of the ear canal is prevented, thereby minimizing the amount by which a person""s ability to hear ambient sound is diminished when wearing the inventive earmold. As a result, a person""s ability to localize sound is maintained.
The invented earmold""s profile follows the curvature of the ear canal. By following the curvature of the ear canal, the user""s comfort is greatly improved. Moreover, preferred embodiments of the present invention include a notch in the earmold which provides relief to a user""s antitragus. Relief to the antitragus is important to prevent compression of tissue at the antitragus and to avoid associated discomfort.
Some preferred embodiments include markings for reference by the wearer to ensure proper orientation of an audio device.
Some preferred earmolds are composed of soft plastic material and others are composed of an elastomeric material or other material. Some preferred earmolds are composed of polyvinyl and/or silicone.
Some embodiments of the present invention provide an earmold for holding an audio device near a user""s ear, the user""s ear comprising an ear canal and an outer ear, the earmold including: a cavity formed in a first side of the earmold, the cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the audio device; a first protrusion extending from a second side of the earmold and configured to engage a portion of the user""s outer ear; a second protrusion extending from the second side of the earmold and configured to be positioned proximate the user""s ear canal; and a plurality of retention flaps extending from an edge of the cavity towards an interior of the cavity to secure at least a portion of the audio device within the cavity, the retention flaps extending around only a portion of a circumference of the cavity. The inventive earmold preferably includes a sound bore having a first end inside the cavity and a second end proximate a tip of the second protrusion.
Some such earmolds include a vent disposed along a portion of the second protrusion. Some such vents extend from the edge of the cavity to a point proximate a tip of the second protrusion. In some embodiments, the first protrusion is configured to engage under a crus of a helix of the outer ear.
Some embodiments include an alignment notch which allows a user to orient the audio device with respect to the earmold. The retention flaps may be formed on opposing sides of the edge of the cavity or may have other configurations. An alignment notch may be formed in a retention flap.
In some embodiments, a notch is provided which is configured to provide contact relief to an antitragus of the user. In some embodiments, the earmold is configured to prevent the second protrusion from touching the ear canal and in other embodiments the earmold is configured to hold the second protrusion in contact with the ear canal.